The Wicker Tree(2010)

If you're a huge fan of 1973's The Wicker Man like I am(no, not that pitiful Nicolas Cage remake), then you have probably been eagerly awaiting this follow-up.  Its production was finished in 2010 but it didn't receive even a limited release until last Friday and a wide release is still pending.  Now, I know as well as anyone that lack of recognition doesn't make a bad film, but sadly, this is just that.  I wish I could tell you that that it's a worthy follow up to its predecessor but I would be blatantly lying to you.  Try to avoid this one.

Beth and Steve are two young Christian missionaries who are invited to a local festival in Tressock, Scotland.  Seeing it as an opportunity to share their love of Christ, they don't realize the resident's have a more sinister agenda.  Since this is a "re-imagining" of The Wicker Man, the story comes barreling toward one of the most predictable conclusions in the history of the silver screen.

The performances in The Wicker Tree aren't bad, and perhaps this is the fault of the script, but they aren't engaging enough to make you care about its characters by any means.  I thought director Robin Hardy would have had something much better up his sleeve but it has turned out to be a bust.  Word is that he is working on a third film in the series, hopefully it's better than this mess.

3/10 stars.